Max Verstappen was the quickest man around the Baku Cir=ty Circuit in both free practice sessions on Friday, the young Dutchman finishing the second ninety minute free practice session one tenth of a second faster than the Mercedes of Valtteri Bottas. In the first session the Red Bull driver led his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo in the first one two finish in practice for the Milton Keynes team this season.

The first 90 minutes at the Azerbaijan GP saw Max clock up 19 laps with the fastest lap of 1:44.410 while Daniel was second fastest with a time of 1:44.880 over 22 laps.

In the second session Max maintained his position at the top of the timesheet with a 1:43.362 over 36 laps, despite an off into the wall at turn one late in the session.

Meanwhile Daniel finished third fastest with a 1:43.473 from his 34 laps.

Kimi Raikkonen was fourth overall, the quicker of the two Ferrari's with Sebastian Vettel in fifth followed by Lance Stroll Sergio Perez, who had a spectacular accident in the opening session that saw the session red flagged, Dani Kvyat in eighth, after the Russian failed to get out in the opening session until a few minutes before the end, Esteban Ocon in ninth and Lewis Hamilton, all the way down in tenth.

“It was a scrappy day punctuated every few seconds by dozens and dozens of off-track frolics,” said Mercedes man James Allison. “The associated yellow flags interrupted the rhythm at a circuit where it is quite challenging to get temperature into the tyres, especially the fronts, and that as much as anything dictated your position on the leader board today. “

“However, we have work to do overnight to make the car's handling sweeter, as both drivers were struggling to get temperature into the front tyres and, as a consequence, suffering with front locking. There is going to be a lot more lap time to come from all of the front runners as the track rubbers in and the drivers gain in confidence. It's already close at the front, so I expect that those who work well overnight, and keep a cool head tomorrow, will be rewarded in qualifying and the race.

  1. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, 1:43.362
    2. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, +0.100
    3. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, +0.111
    4. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, +0.127
    5. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, +0.253
    6. Lance Stroll, Williams, +0.751
    7. Sergio Perez, Force India, +0.944
    8. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso, +0.959
    9. Esteban Ocon, Force India, +1.122
    10. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, +1.163
    11. Felipe Massa, Williams, +1.247
    12. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, +2.153
    13. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, +2.371
    14. Kevin Magnussen, Haas, +2.469
    15. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault, +2.641
    16. Jolyon Palmer, Renault, +2.699
    17. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren, +2.812
    18. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber, +3.788
    19. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber, +3.985
    20. Romain Grosjean, Haas, +4.360